Sins of Angels
by Anguipes Seraph
Summary: The New God is re-arising, and Kielestis Inc. is eager to expliot this fact. But a remnant of the old Jenova project has different plans... R+R, or I'll forget this ever existed.
1. Contents/teaser page

I've decided to add my contents page to the beginning of this. Don't know why. This contains both chapters I've written (numbered) and the chapter I'm working on (also numbered). And as a bit of a teaser, possible chapter titles for future chapters (unnumbered, but in rough order). You see, I have a plan for right the way through this piece! But I will stop if I don't get plenty of highly flattering reviews from all you sycophants.  
  
SINS OF ANGELS  
  
  
  
Disk 1: End of a New Beginning  
  
1. Rebirth  
  
2. New Times  
  
3. New Beginning  
  
4. Old Enemies  
  
5. Cycle of History  
  
6. Flames in the Library  
  
  
  
?? Vincit Veritas  
  
?? Pit of Fire  
  
?? Heiress  
  
  
  
Disk 2: Sins of Angels  
  
  
  
?? Catastrophe from the Skies  
  
?? Chaioth He Qadesh 


	2. Rebirth

Rebirth 

* * *

_Help...me..._

A flash of lightening breifly and eerily lit the rotting monument to greed and death below the black clouds. It was followed almost immediately by a dull rumble loud enough to shake what remained of the glass in the city's blown out windows. Driving rain, whipped into a frenzy by the powerful winds, beat ferociously at the abandoned streets. The storm was so fierce it would have seemed to any onlooker, and certainly anyone caught in it, that the forces of nature were taking a brutal revenge on a hated foe. 

The lightening continued to stab down randomly at the highest points of the city - the eight huge reactors and the single massive tower in the centre of the ring they formed. Ever so often the strikes provided a jolt of electricity to some decaying machine which would groan and splutter into life for a second before slowly grinding to a halt again. 

In a locked room deep in the Shinra building, the lights flickered. A button on a console glowed red for a moment, then dimmed. 

The storm continued, getting worse by the minute. 

Another spark of power caused the door of the huge vat in the centre of the room to groan protestingly. A globule of tranparent greenish goo slid down the glass onto the dusty floor. It left a slimy trial down the side of the vat, and across the simple plaque attatched to its base. 

JV/101/2 

The numbers had been scratched out and re-engraved many times, but the letters showed no signs of tampering. 

Hours passed, but the storm didn't die down. 

Another bolt of lightening hit the Shinra HQ. 

This time the door mechanism got the sustained power it needed. Nearly a quarter of the glass cylinder slid haltingly and protestingly aside, letting the vat empty most of its slimy contents into a faintly glowing pool on the floor. The scene was still for a few seconds, except for the slow expansion over the floor of the mass of fluid which now looked much like a giant amoeba. Then, slowly, a figure collapsed forward from the vat back into the slime in which it had been encased. It sprawled on its hands and knees, soaked and naked, and started to gasp for breath, desparately bringing its hands up to claw away the slime still clinging to its face and brush aside the black hair plastered against it. Choking and choughing shook its slender form for a good few minutes, until a complex piece of plastic piping shot out from where it had been lodged in the thing's throat and landed will a dull splat on the sticky floor. Breathing deeply, it colapsed with relief.

* * *

JV/101/2 pulled herself up, still dripping. What was happening? What moron had let her out without following the correct procedure, and then left her to nearly choke to death on her own breathing apperatus? Who else knew she was here? Questions floooded throuigh her mind, but quickly dissapeared. Something was very wrong. 

It was too quiet. JV/101/2 had never known things this quiet. There was the sound of rain and wind outside, but not the sounds of machines, the hum of the lights, the general sounds of the city outside. But more disturbing than the silence around her was the silence in her mind. 

She stood for a while, lost in thought, then shook her head. She needed to think about more immediate problems. 

It was never this quiet in Midgar, not even at night. The place must be deserted. 

Midgar...deserted? What had happened? 

How long had she been here? 

If Midgar was deserted, who had let her out? 

There was another possibility. If the place had been abandoned for some time, and it looked like it may have been, there might have been a mechanical malfunction. But even then, she couldn't hear the reactors running. There couldn't be any power. 

JV/101/2 shook her head again. Before she started to investige any of this she needed to start with the basics. Get washed. Find some clothes, some food, something to drink. Weapons. Materia. Supplies. Get out of here. 

It would be the first time she had ever been out into the city. The shock hit her for a moment. _I'm free._ No more just knowing about the outside world from what she was told, what she read, and the sounds she heard from the city. Almost dizzy with anticipation, she strode towards the door to her living quarters. It should have slid open automatically, but of course, there was no power. That didn't matter though. A single blow left the metal door warped enough to provide no obstacle, at least, not to JV/101/2's slender frame. Everything was as she remembered it, though now covered in a layer of dust. The small fouton, the chest of drawers, her katana, her books. That was definately a start, but before anything else, she needed to wash. That might not be so easy as it sounded - nothing was powered. Nevertheless, there must be something. Despite the rapidly drying slime still clinging to her JV/101/2 quickly rummaged through the drawers and pulled on some clothes, as much for decency as anything else. 

Seconds later JV/101/2 kicked in another door, the one that led out onto the main corridor, and considered her next move. The place was in a bad way. Debris lay everywhere and even the walls buckled and bulged in some places. There was no sign of human occupation. The building had obviously been abandoned for quite some time. After a little more thought JV/101/2 slipped back into her quarters and came out with her weapon. There was no telling what might be out there, certainly not on these floors. However, she did now have a rough idea what direction to head in. From somewhere close in the building she could hear the gentle gurgle of flowing water. She headed out towards the sound, treading carefully to avoid both the worst of the debris and slipping on the slime still dripping from her long hair. Questions started to flash through her head again as she walked. What could have happened to cause Midgar to become deserted? How long had she had been shut up in that vat? Why, _why_ was her mind so quiet? 

Doubt suddenly filled JV/101/2 so profoundly she stopped in her tracks. What if they had succeded? And left her behind? 

Did she forget about me? 

No. JV/101/2 knew that if the plan had been a success Midgar would not still be standing, even in this dilapidated state. She set off again. 

JV/101/2 knew that she would not have forgotten. She would never, perhaps could never forget. Him, perhaps. Hojo. Too busy chasing off after his precious son. That was why he'd shut her up in that vat again, even at the risk of the upper echelons of the Shinra management finding out about her. Even at the best of times he had never trusted her not to make a break for freedom. She smiled as she easily vaulted a collapsed section of wall partially blocking her path and landed lightly on the other side. The watery sounds were much closer now, probably almost directly above her on the next floor. Hojo had been quite right, of course. She had been planning to escape for years. Only one thing had held her back. 

There were claw marks on the door leading to the stairs. JV/101/2 subconsciously tightened her grip on her weapon, but knew she didn't have any reason to be too concerned. As she'd walked there had been the occasional corpse of some specimin or another. Most looked as if they had starved to death. She was becoming more and more sure that she was the only living thing left here. Dealing with the door the way she had done previously, she started to climb the stairs, slightly surprised by the gentle breeze that was now blowing in her face. When she reached the next floor, she couldn't quite belive what she saw. 

Half this floor, and most of the all floors above it, was missing. A gaping hole had been blown in the top of the building, leaving it open to the sky. That was where the water was coming from - rain was collecting on the floor above and pouring through a fissure in the ceiling, collecting again in a large, deep pool that reached to within a few feet of where JV/101/2 was standing. The natural beauty of the scene seemed strangly out of place and she found herself simply gazing at it, fascinated. It was so beautiful, and exactly what she needed. Eventually she waded out and washed herself thoroughly in the natural shower. It was such a relief to finally eradicate the clinging slime, especially from her hair. That had grown a lot since she last remembered. It had always been long but now reached well below her waist in a thick flow of raven tresses. Layden with green ooze it had been a dead weight on her head, never mind plastering the stuff all over her again. 

Once she was sure that all the slime had been washed from both herself and her temporary clothes JV/101/2 walked over to the edge of the crumbling floor and looked out over the ruins of Midgar. Dark shells of buildings stretched as far as she could see. The wasn't a trace of colour in the scene. Even the sky was a stormy grey. And even after so long abandoned, nothing grew here. Nothing lived here. The place was barren, the embodiment of death. The only sound was the howling wind, blowing straight at her, stinging her face and throwing her wet hair behind her in an unruly, writhing mass. Nevertheless, the view was truly impressive. Over sixty floors above the plate the whole city was in view, though the outskirts were shrouded in a thin mist. The mist and dark clouds seemed to insulate the area from the rest of the world, as if the planet wanted to stop anything from escaping into the outside world. JV/101/2 smiled. Mist and cloud wasn't going to stop her. Now she was free, she wasn't going to spend any more time than necessary in this hell hole.

* * *

A lone figure stood at the top of the ridge, looking out over Midgar. Reeve sighed. Even now, after just over year, he still came back here sometimes, and watched what could well be called his life's work slowly decay. The abandoment of Midgar hadn't been planned. People had just never gone back. After what had happened there, Reeve wasn't really suprised. But it was a shame really, building everywhere else up when there was still a perfectly good city here. It would need a bit of work, and an entirely new power infrastructure of course... 

"Yo, Reeve!" 

Reeve glanced over his shoulder at the familiar bulky frame walking up the hill behind him. 

"What t'hell you doin' up here?" Barret asked, slightly out of breath. He followed Reeve's gaze down onto Midgar and frowned. "You ain't missin' the damn Shinra now, are you?" 

"No. Not at all. But its kind of a shame about the city." 

"Yeah. Still sittin' here like some #%$#ing great scar on the planet..." 

"No, I don't mean like that. It's just...I worked so hard on this place. It's such a shame to see it like this." 

"So you _are_ missin' the Shinra." 

"For the last time, no. No one else in Shinra gave shit what happened to this place. Remember what they did to sector 7?" 

"How could I forget? Your damn ex-boss killed half my friends!" 

"OK, calm down. Bad example." 

"No one'd want to live down there now anyway." 

"Perhaps you're right. Not after everything that's happened. And the weather there now..." 

Barret frowned and looked him quizzically. 

"What?" 

"Nearly every time I've come up here, there's been a storm. But, just over Midgar. It's...really odd." 

"No storm now." 

"You just missed it." 

"Heh. Even the Planet reckons Midgar needs a good kickin'. Come on, if we get goin' now, we might get back before it gets dark." 

"Yeah. Moping around up here probably isn't doing me any good." 

"Damn right." Barret paused. "Tell yer what, if it makes you feel any better, think about it this way. If you really think about it, the city, the buildings, all the stuff down there," he gestured vaguely, "That all don't mean shit. It's the people that matter. An' think of all you've done for them. You probably done more for them in the past year than you ever did when you was a big shot up at Shinra." 

"That's pretty deep," Reeve said, turning and sauntering back down the hill, "Cosmo Canyon must've rubbed off on you. How is the place?" 

"Pretty much the same really, what with them never havin' used Mako. Lot more people comin' there now though." Barret grinned. "Marlene loved it. 'Course, she's a bit young to understand it all yet, but I promised I'd take her." 

"It's a bit of a long journey for someone that age." 

"Yeah. Wore her right out. She slept most of the way back. Mind you, don't think she would have missed it for anythin'." 

There was a short silence, and Reeve stared down at the grass. He'd wanted to ask something as soon as he'd seen Barret, but now he wasn't sure exactly how to broach the subject. Then again, Barret wasn't one for subtlety, neither using it or on most occasions picking it up. Perhaps he should just come straight out with it. 

"How's Red?" he ventured cautiously. Barret scratched his head thoughtfully. 

"Gettin' better. Still a bit down, but what d'you expect? Ev'ryone up at the Canyon feels the same." 

"I'm not surprised. Everyone there knew Bugenhagen." 

"I jus' wish I'd had more time to talk to the guy. Reckon the Planet could do with some more fellas like him." 

"You're probably right," Reeve replied, still staring down at the grass as he walked. There was a frown on his face. Barret loooked at him. 

"What's up?" 

"You really want to know?" 

"Sure." 

"I worried. About Midgar." 

"$#!$, not that again!" Barret muttered, rolling his eyes. Reeve opened his mouth to speak again, but Barret clapped his hands over his ears, a little overdramatically. "I ain't list'nin'!" 

"Nothing grows there," Reeve said quietly, then continued to walk in silence until Barret couldn't take it anymore. 

"What d'you say?" 

"Nothing grows there. In Midgar. And nothing lives there. Hell, I've never even seen a flock of birds fly over it. I...went down there a few days ago..." 

"...What!? You damn crazy #@$!" 

"Yeah, I thought so too. But I couldn't help myself. When I got there, I found I needn't have worried. There was nothing there. No monsters. No animals. No plants. I didn't even hear an insect buzzing. I tell you, I've been more scared, but I've never been more spooked." 

"Ain't they the same thing?" 

"Never mind. It just makes you think. Did we...do enough?" 

Barret thought about that for a long time. By the time he spoke again Kalm was in view. 

"Yer a damn pessimist, Reeve. We did all we could. The Planet'll get back on it's feet eventually." 

"I hope you're right," Reeve replied, looking across at Kalm. The sight made him feel a little better; if Midgar was in some ways a failure of his, Kalm was great success. It had grown a lot since Midgar had been abandoned, as people had desperatly searched for somewhere else to live. He'd made sure, as best as he could, that everything was done properly, and the place didn't turn into a ratrun of hastily built slums. He felt a definate touch of pride to think that he had succeeded. The town was just as quiet and pleasant as it had been before. 

"Uh oh." 

"What?" Reeve said, startled from his thoughts. Barret grinned. 

"You're in trouble with the missus." 

Reeve followed Barret's eyes to the figure running up towards them. 

"Oh, hell." 

"Reeve!" 

Reeve dashed down to meet the figure, and was about to mumble an apology when Elmyra threw her arms around him. 

"Where have you been? I was so worried!" 

"It's alright," Reeve said, both glad that he wasn't going to get an immediate lecture and upset and sorry that he'd made Elmyra worry. "I'm fine. I just...lost track of time." 

"Lost track of time! You've been gone since morning! I thought something terrible might have happened to you!" 

"I'm sorry." 

"Sorry!" Elmyra pulled away from him, and Reeve realised he wasn't going to get off as lightly as he'd hoped. "Never, ever do that to me again! After all that's happened you should know better than to make me worry that I might have lost you too!" 

"I'm sorry," he said again, hanging his head and trying to ignore Barret's sniggering. "I really am." Elmyra's glare softened slightly. 

"Just promise me you won't go off without telling me again." 

"Of course. You know how I hate to see you upset," Reeve said, trying to sound as sincere as he felt. Judging from Elmyra's expression, he succeeded. "Let's get back home before it starts getting nippy." 

"Yeah," said Barret, rejoining the conversation, "I don't wanna leave Marlene on her own for too long, even if she is asleep." 

As the threesome started to walk towards the entrance to the town Reeve realised there was something he needed to ask. 

"So...did you make me any supper?" he inquired hopefully. Elmyra laughed despite herself. 

"You're hopeless." 

* * *

Hmm. First Fanfic, first section, first chapter and my first ever HTML code written. Nothing too difficult yet. Anyway, I hope you're just a little bit intrigued as to my plans. But don't expect me to make the ever fatal mistake of sharing them with you. No, you'll have to have some patience to witness the full extent of my genius. Stay tuned for the next chapter, with a familiar face crawling out of the woodwork and more on the mysterious JV/101/2. Until then, goodbye and EPB2S - ** Anguipes Seraph **

* * *


	3. New Times

New Times 

* * *

Reno huddled up next to some large wooden crates in the cargo hold of the small merchant vessel he'd snuck onto, far too edgy to even think about settling down for the night. Under any other circumstances he would never have chosen a night crossing, but after what he'd just done hanging around in Junon until daybreak would be tantamount to suicide. They would almost certainly be looking for him by now. Why had he messed things up, tonight of all nights, and tripped an alarm? Probably beacuse he was still in shock from what he'd found. Reno started to drum his fingers on the small, battered satchel beside him. It contained everything he had to his name after his hasty departure from Junon, except the clothes he was wearing and the gun he held half ready in his right hand. He hadn't had time to stop by at his apartment and pick up everything he'd prepared, and anyway it would have been far too risky. So all he had were a few essentials and barely enough gil to last him a week, but that didn't bother him too much. This wasn't the first time he'd had to survive on practically nothing, and he knew plenty of ways to make money, though a third of them were dangerous, a further third were illegal and all the rest were both. Anyway, there was one other thing in there, and that was priceless. 

Heavy footsteps on the deck above him caused Reno to tense again and hold his breath until they passed. When they finally died down he shook himself and ran a frustrated hand through his unkempt red hair. His usual cool, professional composure had really gone out of the window tonight. _Why the hell am I still sober?_ was his first thought on the subject. _I need a drink._ He rooted around hopefully in his bag, but drew a blank. Instead he leant back against the boat's curved hull and listened to the sounds around him. The hum of the engine, the waves against the hull, an occasional creak from one of the crates. Reno frowned. There was something else niggling at him on the edge of his hearing, something that shouldn't be there. As he listened the noise gradually got louder, until he realised with growing unease what it was. Another boat. Smaller, faster, gaining on this one. The noise kept getting louder until Reno could only assume the two boats were right beside each other. Then both engine sounds changed, and the floor lurched slightly. Reno pulled himself up into a crouch and stayed there for what seemed like forever, until there were more footsteps and voices on the deck. 

"...dangerous, you say?" Deep, gruff, slightly concerned. The captain. 

"Don't worry. If he's here, we can handle him." Cooler, professional, confident. Reno smiled slightly. He doubted they could 'handle him'. He hadn't been a Turk for nothing. But that still didn't mean he wanted to be found. 

"Damn glad somebody cares about ordinary peoples' security nowadays. Things've been terrible around here since Shinra went under." 

"Kielestis will take care of things." A pause. "You check out the cargo hold. I'll search the rest of the ship." 

"But..." A new voice, quickly cut short. 

"Just do it." 

_Shit shit shit shit shit shit shit!_ Reno scurried deeper into the maze of crates as the trapdoor above and to his right creaked open, shedding a rectange of pale light on the contents of the small hold. As footsteps cautiously decended the steep stairs from above he hastily cast his eyes around for somewhere to hide. Right above him most of the top row of crates was incomplete, leaving an alcove well above eye level. As he climbed up, as quickly and quietly as he could, he saw flash of light out of the corner of his eye and heard the footsteps come steadily closer, though not directly to his hiding place. Once firmly positioned on top of the crates he pressed his back firmly against the crate behind him and silently readied his gun. He didn't want to have to fight his way out of this, but if the worst came to the worst it was his only realistic option. He closed his green eyes and held his breath as he heard his would-be persuer right under him. _Great gods, don't look up_ he thought as he fought the tempation to creep over and get a glimpse of the man under him. He hadn't recognised either of the voices, and wanted to know what he might be up against. There hadn't been any footsteps for a while, but niether had he felt the torch beam fall across him. _What the hell are you doing? Get back up on deck and tell your boss there's no one down here._

"Any luck?" someone shouted from on deck. 

"Yeah. He's not here." 

"Coward." More footsteps on the stairs, but decending. "This is the last one. Perhaps the son of a bitch isn't as smart as we thought. They've probably already got him back in Junon. Bet he never even skipped town. Come on." 

Reno allowed himself to breathe as he heard the sound of footfalls from below get steadily further away. He listened to the fading voices. 

"I knew we never should've trusted that one. Gutter scum through and through. Looked like the type who'd sell his own grandmother if the price was right..." 

_If I had ten gil for every time someone said that about me I could buy your damn company._

Soon the boat lurched into motion again and Reno allowed himself to relax, sitting down and lazily stretching his legs out in front of him. He felt more secure now that he knew he was safe, at least for tonight. Now was probably the time to get some sleep before arriving at Costa del Sol. He considered going back down to where he had been before, but decided against it. It was no less uncomfortable down there, and here there was less chance of him being spotted. He yawned and lay down, using his satchel as a makeshift pillow, and tried in vain to make himself more comfortable. He ended up on his back, hands behind his head, staring at the ceiling and wondering how and why he'd ever gotten into this mess. He'd just put himself right back to where he had been a little less than a year ago. No job, no home, no money. In fact it was worse; he was sober enough to be able to think about his situation and given a few days there would probably be a price on his head. All for a few pieces of paper. The outline of one of Kielestis Inc.'s upcoming projects. 

Akurei Inc. would almost certainly give him a small fortune for it. But he wasn't going to them.

* * *

JV/101/2 stood in the doorway to the scientific records section of the library, her arms folded and a deep frown across her face. She had known something had been wrong the moment she got to this floor, but she hadn't been able to put her finger on it until now. Someone had been here. Not just someone, but a group of people. And recently. So recently she could still smell them, faintly but clearly. That put it within a few days ago. Records had been searched through and stacked and ordered neatly, unlike in the other sections were they were strewn around the place part covered in rubble. And the most classified sections had been broken into, obviously with care, and the contents were missing, though there was a possiblilty they were somewhere in the the many piles of documents. Without really knowing what to look for or whether she was looking in the right place JV/101/2 started to search through the documents. She didn't expect to find exactly what she wanted, or even anything close, but there had to be something, some clue... 

A word in the title of one of the documents on top of a pile. "Cetra". She knew that word. Most of all, she knew it in connection to her, not just as something to do with one on the many projects Hojo talked about seemingly regardless of whether she was listening or not. JV/101/2 quickly flicked through the pile, glancing at each title in turn. They were all to do with the Ancients, the Cetra. Noticing the mix of classified and unclassified reports she felt a flicker of hope. Perhaps there was more here than she had dared to imagine. Perhaps nothing had actually been taken...no, that was ridiculous. Whoever had been here had a very definite purpose, and probably knew what they wanted and had taken only that. She began to search again, this time with more purpose, leaving the Cetra documents by the door. She had suddenly realised exactly what it was that she needed to find. 

After searching each pile, first quickly, then more throughly, and finally by skimming each document with supernatural speed, she realised with cold rage that someone had gotten there first. Everything on the Jenova project and everything on the biological alterations made to members of SOLDIER was missing. Why? Why did it have to be one thing she knew would help her find out more? JV/101/2 took a deep breath. There was nothing she could do about it right now. Instead she turned and left the small room, pausing to pick up the collection of documents she had picked out during her search. Quickly scaling the stairs up the four stories to the blown out floor she had found the day before, she sat down by the gently rippling pool of water and started to read.

* * *

The sun was setting by the time JV/101/2 finished reading the last report. As she had suspected, nothing that she could pin down as definately involved in her own creation, but now she had a lot more information on which to consider any theories. Dropping the document in her hands down onto the rough pile beside her she got up and paced over to the edge of the floor, looking across at the city as she had the previous day, rather than down at the nearly seventy story drop. In the red light from the setting sun Midgar looked like something from a nightmare - empty, blasted shells of buildings, black forms picked out in deep, dull red where the light fell on them, the water in the streets and roads reflecting the crimson sky making it look as if they were flowing with lava or blood, and the whole scene was covered in a red haze as the sunset streamed through the fog. JV/101/2 gazed unemotionally over the city. What now? She was quite sure there was nothing left here that she needed, and nothing out there in the city. But where did she go now? What did she have to do? 

Closing her eyes JV/101/2 reached out through the silent, black expanse... 

_...Jenova...?_

...and reeled backwards, bringing her hands up to her head as a scream ripped through her mind, accompanied by an intense pain that shot through her whole body, driving her to her knees. The screaming continued, rising as if more voices were constantly being added to it, producing a choral cachophany of pain, fear, sorrow and rage. The pain also escalated, until all she could do was kneel dangerously close the massive drop, her palms clamped protectively over her ears though the world around her was still as silent as death, and her fingertips digging firmly into her scalp. The agony continued for long seconds, until she screamed out loud in desperation. 

"Stop! I'll do what I can! Just _stop_!" 

The pain and the screaming slowly faded, leaving JV/101/2 still kneeling, trembling slightly, sweating and breathing deeply, her head down and her black hair covering her face. The sun had set and stars were beginning to come out as she rose, then turned, took a few paces, and stared down at her moonlit reflection in the still pool. The woman looking back at her was just a shade under six feet tall, slenderly built, with delicate yet sharply defined features on pale skin that gave a deep contast to her jet black hair. That was pulled back, aside from a few stray strands dangling over her face, into an elaborate knot at the back of her head held in place with two hairpins, then flowed down her back in a thick mass of dark tresses. She was dressed entirely in black, with a heavy belt fastened loosely around her thin waist. Her katana, Yamisakki, hung from the belt but was carefully consealed under a long trenchcoat, as were the few orbs of materia she had found. Despite this she kept the trenchcoat unbuttoned, as if she had nothing to hide. JV/101/2 studied herself critically. At a glance she would probably pass for normal, if it wasn't for her eyes. They were a deep, clear, emerald green, and they glowed strongly in the dark night. Still, she could probably do something to hide them. She was almost ready for the outside world. Just one more thing. She needed a name. 

JV/101/2, Specimen 2. That was what she had always been, and she had always hated it. She was more than just a project and a number. As that thought ran through her mind she subconsciously flexed the fingers of her left hand, gloved to hide the physical mark from the world though it could do nothing for the scar in her mind. No, that stopped here. She was in control now. A new being, born from the ashes of Midgar. Having a name was important, to who she was now if not to what she had been. But what? Did it matter? Probably. Her name would be what defined her. But would a name she had given herself carry any meaning, especially when she had little idea of who and what she was? 

JV/101/2 found herself looking down at her reflection again, and the starry sky also caught in the still pool. She looked quite sinister, with her pale skin, black hair and clothes, and glowing eyes. Perhaps her name should reflect that. Perhaps she should just wait until something that seemed right came to her mind. That seemed like a good idea. She could probably gain deeper insight into herself from gut feeling than conscious thought. 

Aside from that, a plan was forming in JV/101/2's mind. She knew what her next step would be, and the type of place she needed to get to, if not its geographical location. Another search of the library would probably tell her that. This would probably be the last night she spent in Midgar, so she had better prepare herself. There was all ready a good supply of useful items in her room; the building have obviously been abandoned so quickly that no one had bothered to collect their belongings. She also had materia and her weapon, so she could defend herself if necessary. Drawing Yamisakki in a single smooth movement, JV/101/2 held it up in front of her, looking at it properly for the first time in many years. It had become so familiar that she had barely noted its appearance for some time. Now she did her best to take in everything. The blade was of a dark, dull metal, a good size but fortunately not so long or bulky that it couldn't be concealed. The only mark on it was the inscription in ancient Wutain just above the hilt. JV/101/2 weighed the sword in her hand, then took an experimental swipe which quickly turned into the first few moves of one of her katas. She performed the moves quickly and gracefully, and with absolute precision. That, after all, was one of the few activities she had ever been able to do during the long stretches of time she had been forced to spend alone. It was study, or sleep, or do nothing at all, or practise her moves to ultimate perfection. But despite her speed and skill it was a sterile perfection - she had never actually faced a real opponent. Still, she thought with a slight smile, there was a first time for everything. 

After smoothly steeping through another, higher kata and assuring herself that her skills had not faded with however long a time she had spent asleep, JV/101/2 sheathed Yamisakki and headed back down to her room. She wanted to be ready to leave as soon as she woke up, as she had an uneasy feeling that any delay would bring on a repeat of the hot flashes of pain that had wracked her body only a short time ago. Anyway, she had neither need nor desire to stay. 

* * *

Chapter 2 done. Not much has happened yet, but be patient... the next chapter will start bringing things together. Consider what I have to do - give you a bit of an idea of my vision of the post-Shinra world, bring the original team back together, with convincing reason, work on new charaters as well as the ones we already have background on from the game, get the story going in the right direction, etc., etc.... I'd like to see you do better, especially without... no, that would give far too much away. I've already said too much, so I shall take my own advice. Sayonara - ** Anguipes Seraph **

* * *


	4. New Beginning

New Beginning 

* * *

A gentle breeze wafted the sea air around the winding, mostly deserted streets of Costa del Sol. The place was so peaceful without the usual crowds of tourists, Tifa mused, leaning out of the bedroom window and gazing down into the street below. At this time of year, though the weather was usually still as good as any summer day elsewhere, there were only locals and a few of the more knowledgeable holidaymakers around. 

"It's a beautiful day outside." 

"......." 

"Cloud?" 

"Wsst?......zzzzzzzz........." 

"Cloud, wake up!" Tifa snapped, turning sharply on her heel. On the bed, Cloud squeezed his eyes shut, groaned, and pulled the covers over his head. Tifa sighed deeply, then walked over and prodded a likely looking lump. 

"G'way," Cloud mumbled from beneath the covers, coiling up tighter. 

"Don't make me come in there," Tifa said teasingly, leaning over and tickling her husband. 

"Ahh! Stop it!" Cloud cried eventually. He peeked his head out cautiously from under the sheets, sleepily blinking his blue eyes. "Okay, okay, I'm up!" 

"At last. I thought you were going to stay there all day." 

Cloud sat up and yawned. "What time is it?" 

"Nearly eleven o'clock," Tifa replied, turning back to the window. 

"What?! Why didn't you wake me up?" 

"I just did." 

Cloud raised a hand and pushed his hair out of his eyes, but all he could manage in reply to his wife's statement was a slightly pathetic "Errrr..... yeah." 

"Does it matter? I didn't know you were doing anything today. You should have told me." 

"No, no, it's nothing. Just force of habit really, thinking I should be up at the crack of dawn every day," he said sleepily, swinging his legs over the edge of the bed and stretching lazily. "I suppose you're gonna make me take a shower too now?" 

"Of course," Tifa giggled. "And make sure you wash behind your ears." 

"Yes, mother." 

Tifa looked over her shoulder as the door clicked shut, and sighed. She had really wanted to tell Cloud as soon as he woke up, but, well, things hadn't worked out that way. It was strange that even after having been married for nearly a year and knowing him for lifetime, she still occasionally felt painfully shy in his company. She could see that sometimes Cloud felt the same way. Perhaps it was just a continuation of old habits from before either knew what the other felt. Walking over and sitting down on the edge of the bed, she told herself she would talk to her husband as soon as he came back. It wasn't that important, but she wanted to tell him before she argued herself out of the idea. 

Cloud soon came back, with a towel around his waist and using another to dry his hair. Tifa smiled at him, even as she began to nervously drum her heels against the side of the bed. 

"Cloud," she began demurely, "I've been thinking..." 

"Aww, man..." 

"Cloud!" 

"Sorry," Cloud murmured, smiling apologetically. He looked at her hopefully from under his wild blonde hair, and Tifa smiled back in acceptance. She couldn't look him in his big blue eyes and stay angry for long. 

"I've been thinking," she continued, Cloud eyeing her curiously as she spoke, "Perhaps, I...we," she corrected herself with a slight blush, "should open a bar. Here, in Costa del Sol. It's the right place for that kind of business, and we can't go on like we have been forever. I know there's a lot of competition, but I did run a bar before, and...well, what do you think? Cloud?" 

Cloud had been staring vacantly off into space, but turned and looked at his wife again at her prompt. 

"Right now," he said, grinning mischievously, "I'm thinking 'wow. Beautiful and a genius. I'm a lucky guy.'" 

"So, you think we should try it?" Tifa said, her voice coming out far more excitedly than she had intended. 

"Of course. And we won't need to worry about the competition. Your cocktails'll knock them dead." 

"You really think so?" 

"Yeah. Wow, I can't believe neither of us thought of this before. It's perfect." 

"I'm...glad you think that," Tifa murmured shyly, looking down at her bare feet. 

"Hey, what did you think I was going to say?" Cloud said gently. 

"I don't know," Tifa sighed, "I guess I'm just too used to you having all the ideas." Without warning, she jumped up and threw her arms around him, nearly catching him off balance. "But I've got a really good feeling about this. A whole new start, where everything will go right." 

"That's probably a bit optimistic," Cloud said, returning her embrace, "but yeah. A new start. A real new start. Together. How long have you been thinking about this?" 

"I'm not sure," Tifa mused, frowning slightly, "I think it's been at the back of my mind since we moved here. I haven't really got any proper plans, just the idea. But if you think it's a good idea, we can soon change that." 

"Let's not rush anything." 

"Mmm. Cloud?" 

"Yes, honey?" 

"Can you let go of me now? My top's getting wet." 

"Uh, sorry," Cloud mumbled, backing off and blushing. 

"Don't be so embarrassed. We're married now, remember?" 

"Yeah. That... still kinda sounds a little weird." 

"I'm sure you'll get used to it. And you've got it easy. I've still got to get used to being Mrs. Tifa Strife." 

"What's wrong with that?" 

"Nothing. To tell the truth, I often wondered what it would be like," Tifa said. "And I haven't been disappointed." 

"That's good to hear." 

Cloud thought about what Tifa had said as he got dressed. It seemed pretty sudden, but he trusted his wife and also had a feeling that, whether consciously or not, she had been turning it over in her mind for a long time. He couldn't see anything wrong with the idea. In fact, he quite liked it. With it in mind he could finally imagine a sustainable future here in Costa del Sol. Cloud was really beginning to feel at home in the place. The people were friendly, the atmosphere relaxed, and the weather nearly always fantastic. The constant sun had an added advantage for Cloud as it served to partially disguise the Mako glare in his eyes. Sometimes he wondered how many people there were left with eyes like his, if there were any at all. Between the Reunion and WEAPON attacks, most members of SOLDIER had probably been killed. It was a strange thought. 

"I'd better get going. I've got a shift today," Tifa said. 

"Today?" 

"I'm covering for Annalise. She's off sick." 

"Oh. Mind if I come? I haven't got much else to do." 

"Sure. But don't expect any free drinks," Tifa replied, glancing at the clock and hurrying out. 

"Dammit," said Cloud jokingly, and followed her. 

"Well, at least you'll be able to make sure the customers aren't oogling the barmaid," she giggled by way of consolation. 

"Marcell's looking for a free bouncer now, is he?" 

Tifa put on her demurest tone. "You wouldn't want to leave your new wife alone with all those disreputable types, would you?" 

"Come on, Marcell's regulars aren't that bad. But of course, anything for my poor, defenseless little Tifa." 

"Oh, you're terrible!" 

Cloud smiled. He knew Tifa was perfectly capable of looking after herself in far worse situations than getting dirty talk from drunken Costans. 

Even so near midday, without the usual throng of tourists the streets were relatively quiet. Costa del Sol was designed to comfortably take the summer rush of holidaymakers, and without them the town seemed far larger and emptier than it should be. Marcell's bar, Castaway, would be less crowded than normal, but not enough to warrant closing for the winter as some bars did. It was the one most frequented by the locals, having not fallen to overpricing or tourist-pulling gimmicks. 

Several of the regulars greeted them as they entered Castaway. Tifa took her place behind the bar, and Cloud took a seat in front of it. 

"Cloud! I was hoping you'd drop by." 

Cloud turned to the barman. 

"Yeah?" 

"Someone's been in here asking after you," Marcell said, putting down the glass he'd been cleaning. 

"Really? Who?" 

"That's the thing - he didn't leave his name. And, well, I dunno, he didn't entirely look the reputable type." 

Cloud's brow furrowed, but he gave a mental shrug. By most people's standards, that was a fair description of most of his friends. 

"...Now don't get me wrong," Marcell continued, a little hurriedly, "Friends of yours, they're alright once you get to know them. But, well, there was something about this one..." 

"What did he look like?" Cloud asked, cutting through Marcell's half suspicious, half apologetic rambling. He wasn't usually like this, but again Cloud could think of several of his old friends who just had that effect on people. Marcell scratched his head thoughtfully. 

"Tall, scruffy, red-headed. From the Eastern Continent, by the sound of him. Didn't see his eyes, he was wearing shades." 

Cloud's brow furrowed further. The description rang a bell in the back of his mind, an alarm bell, but he couldn't quite place it. Marcell must have noticed his expression, because he leant in closer and lowered his voice. 

"You're not in any trouble are you? He said he wanted to talk to you. And with people like that, you know they never just mean 'talk'." 

"If anyone's in trouble, it's gonna be him. Did he say where I could find him?" 

"Yeah. He told me to tell you that he's staying at the Sundown hotel, room twenty-three, and he wants to see you as soon as possible." 

"Right." Cloud said firmly, getting up. "Tell Tifa where I am." 

"Don't do anything rash!" Marcell called after him.

* * *

Footsteps echoed deep in the tunnels of the abandoned Mythril Mines. JV/101/2 just let her feet take her to where she should be. Every step brought her closer, she could sense it. By now she was probably beneath the mines themselves, in the dark, natural tunnels in the bedrock. The further she got the scarcer and stronger the monsters were, but that was of little consequence. They were no match for her. She had had plenty of opportunities to practice her combat skills on the journey here, and now such techniques were becoming reflex. Anyway, she was stronger, faster and more magically powerful than any human and most monsters. Being a research specimen had been hellish, but being an ex research specimen did have its advantages. 

And then at the end of the tunnel, there was light. Not the bright white light of an opening to the surface, she was far too deep for that, but a soft, green glow that eerily picked out the jagged walls of the shaft. JV/101/2 picked up her pace now her goal was in sight, and was soon standing over a small, iridescent pool. She knelt down... 

_Lifestream...   
Knowledge...   
The knowledge of the Planet...   
Knowledge is power....   
Take it...take it all...   
Power...._

...and brushed her fingertips against the surface. 

Everything went green. And then...then she knew. She knew it all. 

She stayed there for a long time.

* * *

...And thus ends chapter 3. "What happens next?" you cry. Or at least, I hope you do. But I'm not going to tell you! Ha! You'll just have to wait and see. Stay tuned for chapter 4 and more on the goings on at Kielestis Inc. - ** Anguipes Seraph ** "Ne me mori facias... Now I understand." - **Crow** (quote from the future) 

* * *


	5. Old Enemies

Old Enemies 

* * *

The Sundown Hotel was the cheapest he had been able to find, and it reminded Reno of bad times. All those times in his life when he'd been forced to wander, with nothing to his name, no fixed address, no family. This was by no means the worst accommodation he'd stayed in, but the memories it brought back were bad enough. And when he did manage to drag his mind out of the past, the possibilities for the immediate future weren't much better. News about him would be out all over Kielestis territory before long. He couldn't stay here. He'd wait until tonight, then leave. Get to Wutai, that was probably the safest place to be. That was the heart of Akurei territory, and Kielestis had no influence there. Reno smiled to himself. Always have a backup plan, even if it was "run for it". 

And yet, something kept nagging at the last remains specks of Reno's morality. He couldn't just keep what he'd found to himself. For a start, he'd probably go mad. That was why he'd taken the risk of getting what proof he could out of Kielestis, after all. He just hoped it would be enough. Why should anyone listen to him, anyway? They'd probably think he'd been drinking too much. 

At that thought Reno groaned. He shouldn't be cooped up in here. This was Costa del Sol, after all. He should be outside enjoying the sun, drinking expensive cocktails and trying to get laid. Life, he mused, lighting up a cigarette and slumping down onto the bed, was a bitch. And then... 

Reno rarely wondered where he'd gone wrong in his life, for the simple reason that he couldn't remember a time when things had been wholly right. He did sometimes wonder what it said about him that his time in the Turks had probably been the best of his life, though. And he always came to the same conclusion - it said that he'd had a really shitty life and he'd lost his most of his morals somewhere along the way. But that was irrelevant. The past didn't matter. It was just extra baggage, and Reno liked to travel light. But if the past didn't matter, why did he always find himself thinking about it at times like this? 

_Because it's all you've got, you stupid shit._

But if you wanted a future, you couldn't afford to have a past. Reno had learnt that a long time ago. If you needed to make a new start, you let go. And not just the bad parts. Everything. However much you might miss it, it all had to go. It was the only way. 

Reno took a long drag on his cigarette and exhaled indulgently. He'd needed that. To be completely honest with himself he knew that his last year in the Turks, having to report endless failures to his increasing irate and mildly psychotic superiors, had shredded his nerves. Then again, he'd already acquired a healthy degree of paranoia over the years. As far as he was concerned the world may not be out to get him, but it was quite willing to take the occasional pot shot. 

Just as that thought hit him, Reno heard footsteps outside in the hallway. Not once taking his eyes off the door, he ground out the remains of his cigarette in the ashtray on the bedside table and slid one hand behind him under the pillow. It connected reassuringly with cold, hard metal. That was something else he'd learnt. Never, at any time, have less than two weapons within arm's reach. 

The footsteps stopped right outside the door. Reno took a deep breath. OK, two possibilities. And it had better be the first. 

The door opened. 

"You." 

Reno smirked. 

"Long time, no see, Cloud." 

Cloud took a step into the room, his posture threatening. 

"What the hell do you want?" 

"We need to talk," Reno said, getting up. Cloud snorted. 

"Whatever it is, Reno, I'm not interested. Pack your bags, and get the hell out of my life." 

Reno met Cloud's harsh glare easily, and shrugged. 

"Look, I know we were never exactly on the best of terms, but I promise you, your really going to want to know this." 

"I doubt it. Unless you and Rude have finally decided to tie the knot." 

"&@!# you. Just read this, will ya? Just do me a favor and don't ask how I got it." 

Reno retrieved a slightly crumpled wad of paper from a battered satchel at the foot of the bed and handed it to Cloud, who snatched it irritably and skimmed his eyes over the first page. It seemed to be some kind of official document, from Kielestis Inc. judging by the bold logo on the paper heading, and full of obtuse and uninteresting corporate-speak. Cloud was about to throw it aside and demand to know what Reno thought he was playing at, when a word caught his eye. 

He blinked, and read it again. 

_Jenova_

"What the...?" 

He read the relevant paragraph, his blue eyes widening.

_Judging from present financial reports and forecasts, it would appear that Kielestis Inc. is now in a secure enough position to re-open project GH-JV-1 (Jenova Project). As such, requisition of the original samples, specimens and research records is now top priority. Three stages are planned: _

  


_Midgar Expedition 1 _
_Ascertain structural damage to and safety of Shin-ra HQ. Should building be classed stable, retrieval of Jenova Project files to be attempted. _

  


_Midgar Expedition 2_
_Retrieval of any usable samples and specimens remaining in the Shin-ra HQ, in particular high priority s/s: JV-0-00 through 71, JV-101-1-4 through 7, JV-101-2, JV-103-72, JV-112-26. _

  


  

_Should Midgar Expedition 1 conclude the Shin-ra building structurally unstable or otherwise potentially dangerous, research files shall also be retrieved during this time. _

  


_Northern Crater Expedition_
_Long-term expedition, initially to determine status of original specimen JV-0 (Jenova). _

  


_Investigation will also be carried out into the whereabouts of possible escaped/loosed specimens, and action taken as necessary. _

  


_Employees should not need to be reminded that project GH-JV-1 and everything associated with it is top secret. _

"Holy shit... they... they can't be serious!" 

"Looks pretty serious to me." 

Cloud looked at Reno, who was wearing a smug expression with just a slight note of relief. 

"How did you find out about this?" 

"Long story," Reno replied shortly. Cloud narrowed his eyes. 

"I've got time." 

"I haven't. I'm outta here." 

Unfortunately for Reno, Cloud was still blocking the exit. 

"You're not going anywhere." 

"You don't get it. I need to get out of here before Kielestis catches up with me. So, just let me go, okay?" 

"That's it?" Cloud hissed, grabbing Reno by the collar with his free hand, "You tell me this, you turn my life upside down, and then you think you can just walk away?" 

"Hey, calm down..." 

"You're a coward, Reno. But you're not getting away from this one. Do something decent for once in your life, and see this through." 

"Hey, if I had somewhere safe to stay, I'd stick around," Reno protested, squirming out of Cloud's grip, "but I want to stop the Jenova Project, not wind up part of it." 

"What's in this for you?" Cloud said suddenly. 

"What?" 

"I know this much about you - you don't even make an effort, let alone take risks like this, if you don't think you'll get something out of it. What's in this for you?" 

Reno gave a small smile. 

"You really don't trust me, do you? Can't say I blame you. You want a reason - call it enlightened self interest. I can't say I know the details, but when Shinra started messing around with stuff like this they nearly caused the apocalypse. I don't want to have to live through that again..." 

A female voice suddenly cut through Reno's speech. 

"Cloud...!?" 

Tifa skidded to a halt in behind her husband. 

"_Reno?_ Cloud, what's going on?" 

Cloud just wordlessly handed her the document, indicating the paragraph on the Jenova Project. Tifa gasped as she read it. 

"But...this...isn't Jenova dead? We...we killed her!" 

"We can hope so," muttered Cloud, "but still...." 

"We should contact the others...Cloud?" 

But Cloud was gazing at the ceiling, apparently deep in thought. 

"No," he said eventually, "Not yet, anyway. I think we should investigate Kielestis ourselves before dragging everyone else into this." 

"But there's just the two of us..." 

"Three." Cloud corrected firmly. Reno shot him a dark look. 

"Like I say," he muttered sarcastically, "I'd love to come, but..." 

"You can stay at our place," Cloud said, and immediately wanted to kick himself. "If you don't have any objections, Tifa?" 

"Of course not." 

Reno thought about this. 

"Yeah, it makes sense. I doubt Kielestis will go as far as rooting around in private property, and they'll probably won't think I'd try to hide out so close to their HQ. Don't look at me like that," he added, noticing Cloud's expression, "I am house trained, you know." 

"Well, come on then," Cloud said wearily, and turned to go. 

"What, now?" 

"Yes." 

"Wouldn't it be better to wait until nightfall?" Reno suggested. "After all, you don't want your neighbors to know you're harboring a felon, do you?" 

"He's right, Cloud. It probably would be safer," Tifa said. 

"I thought you didn't want to hang around in one place for too long, Reno? This had better not be some scam to worm your way out of this." 

"Come on, would I do that?" 

"Alright, alright. But if I find out you've skipped town between now and tonight, you're going to regret it." 

"Anyway, Reno, you have to come along," Tifa added, "We're going to need your expertise." 

"Yeah, right," muttered Cloud. 

"I'm serious, Cloud! Reno, you got this document out of the Kielestis building, yes?" 

"Sure did." 

"So you know your way around there?" 

"Yup." 

"You see, Cloud?" 

Cloud just snorted. 

"Alright. Tonight. I just hope I'm not making a big mistake."

* * *

Interesting, no? That chapter took a lot less time than I expected, despite my going off and writing another short fic in the middle of it. (The other fic, "Just Don't Ask..." is up at Fanfiction.net if you're interested.) Anyway, now I make a plea to all the arty types reading this - I need pictures! I'd love to see some art based on my work, as I can't draw to save my life (there's the Kielestis inc. logo up with this chapter at the FFVII Citadel, but that's as far as my artwork goes). And as always, please send feedback on how the story is going - ** Anguipes Seraph **

* * *


	6. Cycle of History

Cycle of History 

* * *

Contrary to Cloud's expectations, Reno turned out to be a tolerable houseguest. Just as he had the ability to fill an entire room with his presence, it seemed he also had the knack of fading quietly into the background and not drawing any attention to himself. Had things been any other way it was doubtful that Cloud could have been persuaded to postpone the trip to Junon for a few days. On the surface of things Reno's reason of wanting to keep his head down for a while seemed sound, but Cloud couldn't help being suspicious of the man. He had kept himself to himself mostly, and as he'd never struck Cloud as the unsociable type it just added to his uncomfortable impression that Reno had something to hide. 

Then again, he did have something to hide. Himself. Kielestis Inc. seemed to be on an all-out campaign to find Reno, or more likely, their stolen files. There was no mention of them in the various press releases, of course, but they certainly weren't after him for the good of society. That was the spin they were putting on it, along with a long list of charges strangely lacking in "industrial sabotage". When Cloud had asked Reno about the truth of this, he'd just laughed and said that there wasn't much they could accuse him of that he hadn't done at some point. It was hard, no, impossible to trip Reno up and get any actual information out of him. He was one of those people who could talk at length without giving anything away. When he was talking you always felt that at last, this was it, here was something you could pin down about him. But when he finished, and you tried to sift through what you'd heard, it just ran straight through your fingers and you realised there hadn't ever been anything there at all. So by the end of three days Cloud felt he knew even less about him than ever. That thought didn't fill him with confidence. He'd been hoping to find out a bit more about their new ally, if that was indeed what he was. Especially one, probably inconsequential little thing that had been niggling at him - Reno was a name from the Costa del Sol area, but Reno certainly wasn't Costan, nor did he look like either of his parents could have been. 

Reno wasn't the only worry on Cloud's mind though. In the past days he'd found that he was looking at Kielestis Inc. with new eyes, and he wasn't liking what he saw. 

Because it was Shin-ra. 

He couldn't believe he hadn't noticed the similarities before, that they had been able to gain people's trust, that the world was going back to how it had been before. How had people been duped? Better the devil you know - perhaps that was true. It was a small mercy that they weren't using mako, but if they were re-starting the Jenova project they soon would be, if not on a Shin-ra scale. And why re-start the Jenova project anyway? What did they think they could gain? 

Cloud had a nasty suspicion he knew. History moved in circles, after all. 

And that meant that, even if Jenova was dead, there was going be trouble.

* * *

It hadn't been hard to get a crossing to Junon. Cloud and Tifa had brought a passage on one of the ferries, whilst Reno had snuck on board. They would be meeting up with him soon, but for the moment the couple were taking advantage of the opportunity to discuss the situation alone. 

"I don't trust him," Cloud murmured, gazing down over the side of the ship and watching the waves below. Tifa nodded. 

"I know how you feel... but what has he got to gain?" 

"That's what I've been thinking about. Something in that report's been getting at me. Escaped specimens...action taken as necessary." He sighed. "That means _me_, Tifa. We know Reno was working for Kielestis. What if he still is?" 

"It's possible... but they seem pretty keen on finding him. Why would they risk his being caught before he'd got us to Junon?" 

"I dunno... I just can't figure the guy out. And until I do, I don't think I can trust him. Or anyone connected to Kielestis. The Jenova project... they must be insane..." 

Tifa nodded, and bit her lip. She'd had something on her mind ever since she'd hear about the Jenova project being restarted, and though she had never spoken to Cloud about it, she knew he must have been thinking along the same lines. 

"Cloud... if Jenova is alive..." 

"...she may not be the only one," her husband finished for her, his grip on the railings tightening. They looked at each other. 

"...you think so..?" 

Cloud looked away. "We beat him once..." he said. "Come on, let's find that rat Reno. I don't want him sneaking off now."

* * *

Reno was in the cargo hold, having a cigarette. This entire situation was grating against his strong instincts of self-preservation, instincts that had been honed to razor-point through a youth in the Midgar slums and six years in the Turks. He should be getting as far away from Junon as possible, not going back there. Certainly not going back the Kielestis building, of all places. All in all, he was regretting his brief attack of morality. 

"Reno? You here?" 

"Over here," Reno replied lazily, recognising Tifa's voice. Soon the three of them were sitting amongst the luggage, Cloud and Reno both avoiding each other's eye. 

"So, what's the plan?" Reno said eventually, to no one in particular but giving Cloud a sidelong glance. 

"Well, first thing has to be getting into the Kielestis building," Cloud said, finding to his slight surprise that he was comfortably slipping back into leader mode. "Reno, what's the security like there?" 

"Pretty high, but nothing I can't handle. Once you're inside, you don't need to worry about the people, they just assume you've got a right to be there. But the place is full of surveillance equipment and automatic security checks, especially on the higher floors, and I'm guessing that's where you want to be." 

"Will that be a problem?" 

"Not if we're careful. But I wouldn't want to hang around too long." 

"We just need some idea of exactly what they're up to. We need to know what we're dealing with." 

"Just that? We'll probably need to go over the whole damn building!" Reno spat, glowering at Cloud. Cloud narrowed his eyes. 

"If that's what it takes..." 

"You two!" Tifa intervened. 

"Sorry, babe," Reno said, back in his lazy tone, half turning and giving her mischievous smile. Cloud gave him a dark look, but said nothing. As well as going easily back into leader mode, he was also finding for the first time in a long while the desire to take a sword to someone. He'd never liked Reno but in the past they'd managed to come to an unspoken agreement of mutual non-interference, through respect of each other's fighting ability, but Cloud wasn't sure how long he could put up with Reno on a day-to-day basis. 

"You must know some places not to look," Tifa said to Reno, "That has to narrow it down a little." 

Reno ran a hand through his dishevelled hair. 

"Well, I doubt we'll find anything on the general access floors. So that's one to fifty-nine out..." 

"How many floors are there?" 

"Seventy." 

_Just like the Shin-ra building_... mused Cloud. 

"So... eleven floors to check out...we can do that."

* * *

Junon was a dump. It looked as though it had never been rebuilt after the WEAPON attacks, just boarded over. Near the docks the buildings looked positively dangerous. Only closer to the Kielestis building on the outskirts of the town did anything look like it had been properly repaired. And the village beneath the town had expanded into something not unlike the Midgar slums. After all, most of the people had moved in from Midgar, needing homes and work. And Kielestis had taken advantage of that. 

Cloud, Tifa and Reno were now just outside the huge, brand new Kielestis building. Despite its location near the outskirts of town it still dominated the whole place, with its immense size, mirrored windows and the phoenix logo prominently displayed on its west-facing side. Cloud had to concede it was impressive, but that didn't help them get in. Going in through the front would be unwise at the best of times and was impossible with Reno with them. So they'd been skirting around the building looking for an alternative route in. Cloud just hoped it didn't involve endless stairs. Then Reno stopped so suddenly he nearly ran into him. 

"Right..." Reno muttered to himself, as Cloud bit back an angry comment, "The reception's that way, so..." He bowed his head for a moment, apparently in deep thought, then went over and squinted into one of the nearby windows. "Damn one-way glass...aha!" 

"What?" said Cloud and Tifa simultaneously. 

"Toilet block," Reno said simply, not turning around. 

"So?" snapped Cloud. Reno rolled his eyes. 

"Firstly, there probably won't be any surveillance equipment around, unless these guys are really paranoid. And secondly, if I remember rightly, there's a lift just a short way down the corridor from this particular one. That means we won't be hanging around in the open for too long. So, through this window might just be the best way in." 

"Can it be opened?" Tifa asked dubiously. Reno ran his fingers over the frame. 

"I think there's a catch on the other side. A good push might break it, though it'll probably take all three of us." He braced himself against the window. "You two just going to stand there?" 

At first, nothing seemed to be happening. Then there was the sound of protesting metal on the other side of the glass, and moments later the window gave way so suddenly they all nearly fell through. 

Luckily the toilet was unoccupied and Reno had been right. They easily managed to make it unnoticed to the lift, and took the trip up to the fifty-ninth floor to plan their next move. They would need keycards to get to floors sixty and above, so the general consensus was to "acquire" some on the floor below. What to do after that was presenting the difficulty. It would cut down on the time they would have to spend in the building if they split up, but Cloud both wanted to keep an eye on Reno and knew he would only worry leaving Tifa on her own. Then again, moving in a group they would be far more obvious. 

The keycard hunt was almost too easy. They ended up with two cards, one clearing them up to the sixty-seventh floor, the other right the way up to floor seventy. Eventually, despite Cloud's misgivings, it was decided that he and Tifa would start at floor seventy and work down, whilst Reno worked from floor sixty up. 

That had been an hour ago. 

"This is hopeless," Cloud said, his voice filled with exasperation. "Nothing. This just doesn't make sense, Tifa." 

"I know. No labs. No equipment." 

"Yeah." Cloud shook his head. "I'm gonna call Reno. If he's checked out all the floors below us, we'd better get out of here." He pulled out his PHS, and was just about to dial when it went off in his hand. "What the..." 

"Cloud, you found anything?" 

"No." 

"Figures. Look, I think I know why. What floor are you on?" 

"Sixty-five." 

"Okay. Get to the lifts, I'm coming up." 

"Just tell me...Reno? Dammit!" 

"What was it?" Tifa asked. "Has he found something?" 

"I have no idea," Cloud muttered, closing his eyes. "He just said to meet him at the lifts. Let's go." 

Reno was already there, lent nonchalantly against a wall, when they arrived. 

"Hey," he said. 

"What is it, Reno?" 

Reno smiled smugly, and handed Cloud a keycard. 

"Take a look at that." 

Cloud did. It wasn't like the other cards. They were numbered, the number indicating the highest floor the bearer had access to. But not this one. It was very plain, and had a single symbol boldly printed on it. Theta. 

"That's a keycard for the lower levels," Reno continued. "That's where the labs are." 

"But...they would have to have tunnelled into the hill to get any lower," Tifa said, a shade disbelievingly. Reno shrugged. 

"Then that's probably what they've done." 

"That means this whole place was designed with the Jenova project in mind," Cloud said darkly. "How did you find this out?" 

"A little bird told me." 

"Oh yeah?" 

"Yeah. The same little bird that so kindly handed that card over." 

Cloud decided he didn't want to know the details. He'd heard the rumours about what the Turks were trained to do to wind information out of people, and if he knew anything about the Turks it was that the rumours were never half as bad as the truth. 

"Right. Well, we'd better check this out." 

"I was afraid you'd say that." 

They crowded around the control panel in the lift, and Cloud used the keycard. All the numbered floor options lit up, as with the standard cards, and a new column of letters was added to their options. But it wasn't just alpha to theta. 

"Alpha to rho... holy shit, that's eighteen floors!" 

"Wow. That must have been some investment." 

Cloud found himself nodding numbly. Eighteen hidden floors. Where they all dedicated to the Jenova project? What was Kielestis up to? Whatever it was, he suddenly needed to know more than ever. He reached out and selected floor alpha. The lift started to plummet. 

But almost as soon as it had started to gather speed, it slowed again, and stopped. The lights in the lift flashed, just once, and the three looked between each other, the same unspoken fear running through each of their minds. Then there was a voice. 

"This is a security announcement. A precautionary evacuation of the building is being carried out, due to a minor fire on floor sixty-two. Please use the stairs, as in accordance with safety guidelines the lifts have been stopped. Thank you." 

The lift had indeed grounded itself at the nearest floor, and its doors were now wide open and looked as though they were going to stay that way. Cloud checked to see what floor they had stopped on. Floor sixty. 

"Come on. We're going to find out what's really going on," he said decisively, rushing out of the lift towards the stairs. Tifa followed, and, after a little hesitation, so did Reno. They were largely ignored by the employees obediently making their way in the opposite direction, who petered out as they climbed higher. 

Cloud paused in front of the door to the sixty-second floor, to catch his breath and wait for the other two to catch up. Then, not knowing why he felt so nervous, slowly pushed the door open. 

A chilling familiar scene met his eyes.

* * *

Getting interesting... or at least I hope so. That chapter probably took me a little more time than it should have done, as it got rather long, and I've begun setting up my FF website, Sephira Yesod. And I was ill. And the cat was sick. And... OK, enough excuses. Hopefully I won't be so long on the next one - ** Anguipes Seraph **

* * *


	7. Flames in the Library

Flames in the Library 

* * *

There was blood. Not splattered everywhere like in a late-night horror film. Just slowly pooling under the corpses. That was the first thing Cloud noticed. And from there on, he didn't even have to look. He could have closed his eyes then and there and still described the scene in perfect detail. He'd seen it too many times before. 

_...Cloud..._

A voice. Far away... where did he know that voice from..? 

"Cloud?" 

"Holy hell..." 

Only one person could kill like that. Cold. Clean. Clinical... 

"Cloud...this can't be..." 

"_Sephiroth_..." Cloud muttered from between clenched teeth. The word seemed to hang in the air and echo ominously around them. 

"He's... not dead?" Reno said, shades of doubt colouring his usually assured voice. 

"If he's not, he soon will be," replied Cloud, unsheathing his sword and starting down the corridor. Reno grabbed him back and spun him round so the two were facing each other. 

"Are you _insane?!_ This is Sephiroth we're talking about! You can't just fight that guy!" 

"This is none of your business, Reno!" Cloud shouted back, pulling himself out of Reno's grip and setting back off. The ex-Turk turned desperately to Tifa. 

"We need to get out of here!" 

But Tifa was already running after Cloud. 

Reno wavered for a moment. Then, every instinct that had kept him alive for his twenty-five years screaming at him, he followed her.

* * *

There were flames. After sprinting down several corridors, not really knowing where he was going but letting some overwhelming instinct carry him, Cloud found himself up against a wall of fire. The entire corridor stretched out in front of him was ferociously ablaze, and there was no alternative route. 

Cloud blinked, and shook his head. How did he know...? 

Just visible through the inferno was a single door. Through there. That was where he needed to be. 

_...X year, X month, X day..._

A sound behind him sent Cloud spinning around, his weapon ready, but he relaxed slightly as he saw Tifa's concerned eyes. He didn't know whether to be relieved or annoyed at the fact that Reno was with her. 

_...project JV-101 opened..._

"Cloud...we can't get through there..." 

_...subject shows little change..._

Cloud glared at the flames as if willing them to disappear. Then he realised something wasn't quite right... 

_...Jenova and Mako treatments are finally taking..._

...What the hell? It wasn't going to be anything a Cure spell couldn't help... 

_...X year, X month, X day: Subject deteriorating rapidly, recovery is highly unlikely..._

Tifa gave an involuntary yelp as her husband thrust a hand straight into the flames. He held it there for a while, then brought it out and flexed his fingers. His hand was completely unscathed. 

"Just an illusion..." Cloud said, more to himself than his two dumbstruck companions. It was...strange. He could hear the roars of the fire, feel the heat, but... 

"Does $%&*ing weird stuff just follow you around, or what?" said Reno, tension clear in his voice. He was ignored. 

"Let's go," said Cloud, taking a deep breath. 

_...X year, X month, X day: Subject is dead. Project JV-101 officially closed..._

From the outside the archive room look as though it too was ablaze, but as soon as Cloud stepped through the door the scene was restored to eerie calm. The roar of the flames and the fierce heat had stopped instantly, to be replaced with darkness and... no. Not silence. At first Cloud wasn't sure whether he was actually hearing anything or just reliving a tortured memory. Then... yes. The sound of footfalls almost too light to be human, the swish of a long coat, and occasionally, the sound of a page being turned. Cloud ground his teeth. He's taunting you... 

Cloud was now barely aware of the two others behind him. He crept carefully down the aisles of shelves towards the noise, barely daring to breathe, adrenaline pumping. Just around the next corner... 

A soft, sinister laugh from close by pushed Cloud over the edge, despite the alarm bells that were suddenly ringing in the back of his mind. He quickly rounded the corner, weapon ready, and stood at the end of the aisle... 

A figure dressed entirely in black was standing in front of the shelves, head bowed over a document. It wasn't Sephiroth. 

Long, midnight black hair, slenderly built under her full-length trenchcoat, her features sharply defined on skin that was unnaturally pallid and her eyes completely hidden behind dark glasses, the woman turned in a single smooth movement that sent her coat swirling as if in a breeze. For the tiniest fraction of a second her expression went blank. Then she smiled. 

The file was ash before it hit the floor. 

"Cloud Strife..." 

"Who the hell are you?!" 

The words never came, for at that moment Cloud reeled. His mind was flooded alien thoughts and it was all he could do just to keep a focus on his surroundings. Through the haze he saw a crackling blue mist begin to materialise around the mysterious woman, and managed to summon the clarity of thought to realise what was coming and dive to the floor as pillars of pure energy slammed down around him. 

It only lasted a few seconds, and when it finished Cloud looked around to see his two companions also picking themselves up off the floor. Their attacker was nowhere to be seen. 

"Cloud! Are you alright? What happened to you?" Tifa blurted, rushing over to him. Cloud shook his head to clear the last of the mental haze. 

"I think she must've used some kind of confuse spell on me," he said, trying to sound more sure of the statement than he felt. He paused and looked around at the shelves upset by the attack, lost in thought. Eventually he came to decision. 

"I think we'd better get out of here."

* * *

This was... perfect. An attack on the Kielestis Inc. HQ, by a Wutain assailant. Just what they needed. Carefully orchestrated, this could put the people on edge. A raise in international tension, and it would never be linked back to Kielestis. They could be seen to be responding to a threat, not causing one. They would be trusted, even respected. Yes, this was almost too good. 

It had to be _her_ doing. 

Professor Val Gehenna, de facto owner of Kielestis Inc., stood in the company's archive room and let the ash that had been one of the old Jenova project files run through his fingers. It was no loss - the entire archive had been transferred to computer database, of course. In fact, today Kielestis Inc. had gained information far more valuable than its entire "official" archive. 

Preliminary sorties to the area around the Northern Crater had discovered Jenova infected monsters. That had been expected, whether Jenova was alive or not. But now enough data had been gathered to see a pattern emerging in the creatures' movements. 

They were, as one, single mindedly, heading for the centre of the crater. That could only mean one thing. 

Jenova was in control. She was alive. 

And Professor Gehenna was going to use all the resources he had to make sure she stayed that way. 

It also couldn't be a coincidence that the same day the first Jenova samples were shipped to the HQ, two specimens turn up and cause a ruckus. Gehenna had given orders for them both to be tracked down. The first, a blonde young man whose eyes told of at the very least Mako infusion, was not so important, though at this point any long-term subjects were scarce. As for the second... he'd almost laughed. Hybrid 2. So, she'd escaped the Shin-ra building. It would seem Jenova specimens had an unfortunate habit of doing that. That was one of the reasons why the Kielestis labs were so secure, after all. They couldn't afford to have their experiments wandering around in the present public climate. 

Gehenna ran a hand through his short, dusty brown hair. The last thing Kielestis needed right now was to be connected to another Sephiroth. If Hybrid 2 wasn't caught quickly enough, that would almost certainly be what they had on their hands. Then again, catching her should be far easier said than done, and Gehenna couldn't help feeling that if she were captured he would have to class her, on some level, as a failure. But it couldn't be helped - without her his work would be put back all of twenty years.

* * *

Okay, a little shorter than the previous chapters, but I didn't want to waffle just to make up the rest of the word count. I hope the fact that something like a plot is finally kicking off compensates. And slowly but surely the religious references are creeping in - I thought Gehenna would make a perfect name for a conterpart to Hojo. - ** Anguipes Seraph **

* * *


End file.
